Jan Heine wrote:
>
> Or consider Jobst Brandt's own experience touring Europe. He used a
> Cinelli racing bike with sew-up tires! He carried a spare freewheel
> to be able to change the gearing (so much for the weight savings of a
> racing bike). A 650B randonneur with a triple crank would have served
> him much better on the unpaved roads and also would have solved his
> problem of tires becoming unglued on downhills. (He switched to wood
> rims during the ride, if I remember correctly!) While it may be true
> that he didn't have money to buy a specific bike for the trip, I
> believe that he didn't know that bicycles specifically designed for
> the type of riding he enjoyed even existed! (Neither did I 30 years
> later!)
Jan, knowing Jobst, he would be in vehement disagreement with your summation above. It is always unwise to criticize someone's equipment choices (offer unasked for advice) when they have been already riding forever.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
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